Judge Jones
Judge Jones was one of eight Black men held in the Barnwell County jail in South Carolina. Before dawn on December 28, 1889, a mob of masked men broke into the jail, bound the jailer, and took the men out of town, where they were shot dead; one account puts the mob at about 200 and another at several hundred. Local leaders condemned the killings, and the governor was asked for troops to keep the peace. The Barnwell citizens' advisory committee statement is the source for the shooting.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob of about 200 masked men took Judge Jones and seven other Black men from the Barnwell County jail before dawn, bound the jailer, and shot them after taking them out of town.
Reported by: Barnwell citizens' advisory committee statement.